


Pivotal Moment

by vivaforever597



Category: Love Live! Sunshine!!
Genre: Blushing, F/F, Femslash Exchange, Femslash Exchange 2017, First Kiss, Fluff, SO MUCH BLUSHING ZURA
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-10
Updated: 2017-09-10
Packaged: 2018-12-25 22:29:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,146
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12045603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vivaforever597/pseuds/vivaforever597
Summary: Maru and Ruby share a sleepy fall afternoon on the school roof.





	Pivotal Moment

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Abarero](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Abarero/gifts).



> It's centrifugal motion, it's perpetual bliss. [It's that pivotal moment, it's - ah! - impossible.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dls_cBmUt7Q)  
>  _(alternatively: I went out last night.[I'm going out tonight again.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vf78alvpxRM))_
> 
> Rubymaru are soooo hecking adorable (I mean, they're literally created to be the new Rinpana), and I'm literally always distraught at how little fanwork there is of them - I 100% expected Yohamaru to be my weird crack ship and the entire fandom to adore Rubymaru AND RIGHTFULLY SO - so I was thrilled just to see them nominated in this exchange, let alone to get a prompt about them.

Hanamaru lay on her back on the school roof, her limbs spread out to catch as much of the sunshine as possible. She was smiling absentmindedly as the sun’s rays warmed her, making her feel pleasantly sleepy. It wasn’t too hot – just an early fall day, warm enough to be comfortable, but cool enough for her to seek the sun’s warmth. Then she felt someone poking her cheek, and she grinned even wider.

“Hanamaru-chan, are you awake?” Ruby asked sweetly. Not that Ruby could say anything not-sweetly.

Maru opened her eyes. “I’m awake, zura. The sun is just so nice and warm…”

Ruby giggled. “You’re cute, Hanamaru-chan.”

“Not as cute as you!” Maru protested, blushing. “You’re everyone’s favorite, zura. Remember when all those people said you were their favorite little demon?”

Ruby’s face glowed. “People were really nice!” she agreed. “But I don’t think you get enough credit, Maru-chan.”

Maru smiled and shook her head. “You’re so adorable, Ruby-chan. I’m just the quiet girl who likes books.”

“But Maru-chan, anyone can be an idol, like Rin Hoshizora! It doesn’t matter how cute you think you are!”

A cloud passed overhead, blocking the precious sunlight from Maru’s body. She sat up at last. “I know that, zura. But you’re cute all by yourself, Ruby-chan. You don’t even need to be an idol.”

Now Ruby blushed as she giggled again. “Thank you, Maru-chan. I think you’re that cute too.”

“Aww, you’re just biased, zura.” But as if to prove a point, Ruby grinned and leaned over to nuzzle against Maru’s side. “You’re like a puppy, zura!” Maru said.

Ruby looked up at her with an expression of utter sincerity. “Then don’t make me go near Riko-chan,” she said quietly.

Both girls laughed. Ruby could be pretty funny, Maru thought, if only she’d speak up sometimes. But then, she wasn’t in a position to judge… She made a little noise imitating Shiitake’s barking. Ruby laughed even harder, making Maru laugh in response.

There was absolutely no one else like Ruby-chan.

As their laughter subsided and the sun reappeared, Maru considered lying back down, then thought better of it. She wouldn’t want Ruby to think she wasn’t paying attention to her. To her surprise, Ruby lay down on the roof, resting her head on Maru's lap. “Ruby-chan, won’t you get your clothes dirty?” Maru said.

“It’s all right,” Ruby said sweetly. “It’s just what I wear to practice.”

“But you never lie down on the roof, zura.”

Ruby only turned her head as if trying to burrow it further into Maru's leg. “It’s all right today. I want to be close to you, Maru-chan.”

Maru knew that the flush spreading over her face wasn’t just from the heat of the sun.

“I – I’m glad, Ruby-chan,” she said.

Ruby smiled to herself and gave a short, melodic laugh. Then she pushed herself off the ground just enough to lift her head from Maru's lap to her shoulder. Maru wrapped an arm around her best friend in return. Though really, best friend didn’t seem like an adequate term for Ruby. She was ... special. Actually, _nothing_ seemed quite right. And for someone who knew as many words as Maru, that was unusual.

Oblivious to Hanamaru’s inner monologue, Ruby had closed her eyes as the sun shone on her face. She looked so peaceful and so delicate – like an angel, Maru thought, not at all like one of Yohane’s little demons – that Maru had the urge to lean in and kiss her forehead.

She forced herself to resist the urge. It would disturb her peaceful angel, after all. But she couldn’t resist the urge to reach over and brush a lock of Ruby’s hair off her forehead.

Ruby giggled. “That tickled,” she said.

Maru beamed down at her. “You’re like a little angel, zura,” she said aloud.

Her angel smiled back, but turned her head to bury it against Maru’s chest in embarrassment. Maru cooed and reached up to cradle Ruby’s head with her other hand.

She was overcome with the urge to kiss Ruby’s head again. The urge didn’t feel quite like anything she was familiar with. It wasn’t maternal, exactly. It wasn’t exactly like anything she’d read about, either. If she had to compare it to something... it was a little like what she thought falling in love felt like. But none of the books she’d read had quite captured the feeling.

 _Was_ she in love with Ruby? Maru wondered. But before she could answer her own question, Ruby distracted her by shifting her position, pressing more tightly against her. Maru blushed again as she realized Ruby was pushing against her chest like it was a pillow. But the embarrassment quickly faded as Ruby mindlessly smiled in her not-quite-sleep.

The urge rose up yet again. This time, she didn’t resist it. She tilted her head down to gently place her lips against Ruby’s hair, near the middle along her natural part. She was faintly aware of the smell of sweat on Ruby’s scalp, but she couldn’t say she minded. Ruby didn’t move as Maru pulled her head away and began gently stroking her hair. After a few seconds, she opened her eyes and stared up at her best friend.

“Did you just kiss me, Maru-chan?” she asked.

“I guess so, zura.” Maru wasn’t blushing now – she was too far gone to feel self-conscious.

Ruby frowned, making Maru’s heart race for a second. Had she been in the wrong? But rather than reprimanding her, Ruby sat up to look her in the eye. “You should let me kiss you, Maru-chan.”

“Z–zura!” was all Maru could say.

She was expecting Ruby to pick up her hand to kiss it, or to kiss her cheek, but instead, the smaller girl stretched up toward Maru’s face and softly pressed her lips against Maru’s.

Maru’s eyes went wide. She was too surprised to feel anything else for a moment, but when her senses started to return, she had the sense of having just finished an especially exciting adventure story.

Now it was Ruby’s turn to blush. “I’m sorry, Hanamaru-chan,” she said as she toyed with the hem of her shirt. “I shouldn’t have done that.”

“No!” Maru protested, so violently that Ruby looked up to meet her eye. “It was nice, zura!”

Ruby smiled bashfully. “I took your first kiss, Maru-chan.”

“You always could have asked for it, zura.” Maru blinked, surprised by her own words. She hadn’t meant to say them – but she immediately knew they were true.

“Kisses are supposed to taste like lemons,” Ruby said thoughtfully, “but you tasted more like cinnamon, Maru-chan.”

Maru thought for a moment. “You tasted a little like strawberries, zura.”

Ruby abruptly threw her arms around Maru. “I love you, Maru-chan!” she cried.

Maru returned the hug as tightly as she could. “Ruby-chan, I love you too, zura.”


End file.
